The man tasked with the fundamental examination of the business rates system in Scotland has told MSPs it is “too early to say” whether his group's recommendations will be the complete overhaul that firms have been calling for.

Giving evidence to the local government and communities committee, former RBS chairman Ken Barclay said his review group has to date taken more than 150 written submissions as well as oral evidence from a further 40 or so. Members have also attended various events and meetings with businesses throughout the country.

The group is now examining this “huge body of evidence”, but when pressed by MSP Graham Simpson on the likely scope of the recommendations due this summer, Barclay refused to be drawn.

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“It's too early to say whether it will be, as you say, 'tinkering around the edges' or a complete redesign,” Barclay replied.

Amid concerns that the review is too narrowly focused on business taxation, rather than the wider system of non-domestic rates, committee members raised the prospect of re-opening the call for submissions that officially closed in October.

Convener Bob Doris summed up concerns that not enough has been done to date to engage with non-commercial organisations, adding: “We want to get it right, rather than get it done within a time frame”.

Asked whether he would be “amenable” to re-opening the consultation – and, if necessary, delaying publication of the review's recommendations from the current deadline of July – Barclay replied it would be “entirely appropriate of me” to take on board the committee's recommendations.

“If we need more time, that would be considered,” he added.

In evidence given to the committee earlier in the morning, Jonathan Sharma, policy manager at CoSLA, said the group would like to see control over business rates repatriated from central government to local authorities. Barclay was asked whether this “direction of travel” was one his group is examining.

“Yes, we are still considering that, but we equally heard views from other people this morning who are opposed to that view,” he replied.

David Lonsdale, director, Scottish Retail Consortium

One of those was David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium. Speaking afterwards, he said the SRC is “deeply concerned” about the prospect of rates poundage being devolved.

“Local councils are already able to reduce business rates in their areas, but so far this has been unused by all except two of the 32 Scottish local authorities,” Lonsdale said. “As a result the wider policy of local discretionary rates relief is at risk of being seen to be a flop.

“We are firmly opposed to repatriating control over the poundage rate to councils as it would lead to them treating businesses like cash cows, putting up business rates even further and hitting competitiveness.”